A Test of Nerve
A Test of Nerve is the first short story in The Boy Biggles, first published in 1968. The story is followed by A Chapter of Adventures. Synopsis The twelve year-old Biggles accompanies a skilled shikari to hunt a dangerous man-eating tiger which is threatening the village of Cungit. Plot (may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) Captain John Lovell, an Indian officer and celebrated shikari (hunter) calls on Biggles' father. Asked about his health, Lovell tells the elder Bigglesworth that he had had heart trouble but that this was under control. He carried a bottle of pills and had to take one whenever he felt an attack coming on. Biggles' father tells the Captain that there has been a spot of trouble in the hills. A man-eating tiger has been menacing the village of Cungit five miles away. This tiger has become so bold as to snatch people and livestock from the houses of the inhabitants. Even the headman, Hamid Lal, a brave man under normal circumstances, has come to share the belief of the other villages that this tiger carries an evil demon on his back and it is no use trying to kill it. Like the other villagers, Lal hides in his home and refuses to come out. Lovell offers to go hunt the tiger. Biggles, who has been allowed to listen in on the discussion, asks to go along. Although his father is highly reluctant, Lovell promises to look after him. Lovell and Biggles reach the village. Following instructions from Biggles' father, the headman, Hamid Lal, had built a machan (a hunter's hide) in a tree in a clearing. night is falling and it is time to set off. Lovell takes his rifle and heads out to the machan. The two tether a small goat as bait to a post and then climb up the tree and settle down in the machan for a long wait. It begins to rain, and this, Lovell tells Biggles, would ruin their plan because it would prevent them from hearing the sounds of the tiger's approach. After a long while, Biggles notices that Lovell seems slumped in an uncomfortable position. "What is it, sir," Biggles asks. Lovell gasps out that it is another heart attack! The pills! They are in the haversack which they had left behind in Hamid Lal's house! There is nothing for it. Biggles knows what he needs to do. He ties Lovell to a branch with a scarf to prevent him from falling off the perch and then, taking an electric torch, climbs down and makes his way to the headman's house. He has to knock several times before Lal unbolts his door. Biggles pockets the bottle of pills. The electric torch has now given out so he takes a bundle of dry grass and lights it from the hearth. Again, Lal is reluctant to open the door but Biggles pushes him aside and emerges. The rain has now stopped. Approaching the clearing, he notices that the goat is no longer bleating but appears to be staring fixedly at something on the edge of the clearing. Was it the tiger? Biggles is suddenly angry with the tiger and hurls the burning torch in the direction where the goat was looking. There is a deep-throated "woof" and crash of brushwood. back up the machan, Biggles gives Lovell one of the pills. Soon feeling better, Lovell asks what happened. Biggles narrates his experience and concludes that he thinks he "shooed" the tiger away but he confesses to having been petrified. Lovell compliments Biggles on his courage, adding that the truly brave man is afraid but faces up to it. Characters *Biggles *Biggles' father *Captain John Lovell *Hamid Lal *Barnes Aircraft *No aircraft are present in the story. Places Visited *Assistant Commissioner's bungalow, United Provinces, India *Village of Cungit Mentioned Research Notes References to the past Incongruities Chronology References Category:Short stories Category:Biggles short stories Category:Biggles' boyhood short stories